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Jan. 15, 1929.

' J. F. L. BAKER CYLINDER FORMING MACHINE Filed Feb. 25, 192? ffa/INVENTOR BY IIIN.

A TTORNE Y Patented Jan. l5, i929.

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y'TOI-IIN' Il. BAKER, OF SAGINAW, MICHIGAN, ASSEGNOR TO XVICKES BOILER CO., OF

` SAGINAW', MIGHGAN, A CORPORATON GF MICHGAN.

CYLINDER-FCRMN G MACHINE.

Application filed February 23, 192?. Serial No. 170,191.

rhis invention relates to plate bending and -orming machines that are used for bend-V ing heavy steel plates into cylindrical toi-in, as inthe manufacture of steel drums for high pressure water tube boilers. The plates used small diameter and great length by rolling.

h/ly invention, therefore, relates more pai'- ticularlyto a forming machine in which the plate is subjected to successive and progressive bending operations between a iixed anvil and a co-operating die.

The invention is, therefore, applicable to forming machines oi' the general character above referred to, in which a long beam-like stationary anvil, formed with a longitudinal groove in its upper or w rlring Aface co-opcrates with beamlike die member arranged parallel with the anvil and adapted to cooperate therewith.

ln operation, the plate is laid on the anvil and gradually ted through the machine while the die member progressively presses into the groove ot the anvil, slightly bending it al: cach operation.

liiei'etoiiore it has been custoniary in inachinesot this hind to torni the-groove in the die and to provide a cri-operating rib en the working tace et the anvil. in such imichines the plate is made to curl downward and when. the cylinderis coinnleted it enen/es the anvil, inal-:in it necessary to provide an opening or passageway in the-base of the anvil to permit the cylinder to torni. ltis also necessary to provide means tor stripping the completed cylinder from the stationary anvil, vand that construction obviously involves a weakening oi the anvil structure and distinctly limitsV the capacity the machine for handling very thicl; and very .wide work, beca-use it is impossible to serine' oren the lieav i drum suliicientl to take it oil the anvil. i

The object of my invention is to provide a machine of the anvil land reciprocating die type that will quickly and accurately produce cylinders from very heavy plates, say, up to three inches thick, ten to thirty feet in length and ol relativelyv thirty/sii; inches. .l y

To attain that object l have invented certainiiovel features ot' cinistructicn and operation as follows: rlplate-forn'iing machine in which the forming groove is in thc anvil and the iornnng rib is on the dieq so the plate will curl upward and forward as it is led into the machine and in so doing` will take the lform or a cylinder that surrounds the die linstead. of the anvil.

Great rigidity is attained in the die bv mounting 'it in a movable frame comprising a very rigid strong-back arranged above and parallel with the die and having two downwardly projecting end members. ln the lower ends ci' these end nieinbers` the die is nfiounted, the strong-back and die spaced apart vertically Lo provide a passageway or clearance between them to receive the illale curls upward and forward.. l

n also provide removable a or struts between the die and the strong-back to prevent any appreciable springiiie' the lone' die when subjected to heavvkdi f. :i

ly -invention also includes means for strjpL ing the formed cylinderfiironi the die. comprising a swiveled connectionv between one .end ci' the die and one ci the downwardly proyectingend members of the stione-hack and a detachable connection between the othci endo l1 'the die and the other downwardly projecting strong-bach member, whereby the latter connection can be unlastened.' the die swung' out hoiif/.ontally and the Vcylii'idci' stripped o'l'l; i

The vl`ngrovenlont also includes novel means tor suman-ting 'the tree end of the die while the cylinder is being removed from it. rllie cylinders are ver).v heavy, some weiOhinff many tons. l, therefore,'provide ineais ndt only for supporting the ftree end ot the die, when swung out, but also for providing' an extension toi' use while the cylinder is being slid oli1 from the end of the die. F or that pulpos@ a removable stripping bar which caribe temporarily attached to the endy oli the Ydie is employed. rlhe completed cylinder is slid Jrom the die onto the stripping bar.` after which the bar is disconnected from the die which is then returned to its normal position while the completed cylinder, stillAon the stripping bar, can be removed by means et small diameter, sav,

.an overhead crane.

, tween the die and the strong-back jects in view, which. will "linear later in the specifications, my invent-i i comprises the devices described and claimed and the equivalents tliercof.

in the drawings )artly breken away showing a l chi-ae constructed according to my i Fin'. Q is a transveise sectio. on the 2 -2 or rig. i.

e. is u detail. of the sn'ivelcd if i" ff Nye 13H1] if l, l. neen the inova Jie nic am. Lu`

animatie top d or open pi the die, by dotted lines.

Fig. 5 is a. side View ot the stripping bar or part of the plate progresses rearwardly and i upwardly, generating the first part of. a cylinder 5 of` small diameter, provided the die 3 is forcedfar down into the groove Q ofthe anvil, or generating av cylinder (S of larger diameter if the die does not-go so deep. In every instance the advancing edge of the curled plate iasses forward over the top of die 3,-and finally takes theforni of a complete cylinder that surrounds thedie, instead of a part cylinder that enclose' the rinvii, as in the earli -fniachines heretofore referred to.

The die 3 is actuated by mea-nsof a frame comprising a rigid Vstrong-baclr 7 arranged above and parallel 'with the die and 'having two downwardly projecting einlineinbers 8, i). in the lower endsofjwhich thedie is mounted. 'lhestrong-baclr and die are spaced Lapart vertically to provide a passageway or clearance 10 to permit the plate Ll; to pass through while curling. f f

.A preferred: means for actuating' the .diecarrying;v freine is a hydraulic. engine 11 at each end, having; a reciprocating' piston rod 12 connected to the strong-back 7.

To prevent springing of the die when sub jected to extremely heavy duty l provide a number of removable spacers or struts 13 bep 7. Preferably the` top faces of the die are inclined from its middle part toward its ends, as shown at 14, the under face of the strong-back being straight. The struts 13 can be movednearer theends of the die when wider plates are to be worked. Inth-at case. shims 13 may be inserted between. the bottom faces of struts 13 and faces 14 of the die,` inthe, usual manner.

inV end of the die swings outward in a horizontal plane, until it clears the machine, to permit the lfinished cylinder. to be stripped from the die. For tha-typurpose a swiveled connection is provided between an end of the die '3 and one of the downwardly projecting members 8 of the strong-back 7.

This swiveled connection is designed to hold the die ri gid while it is operating on the worlnand to permit itfto be swung outwardly when` acylinder` is toJ be removed, as shown are apertured for a pintlebolt 19that holds die o securely to strut 8,r but permits it to swing out as indicatedin Fig. 4.

The shim 18 assures a close bearing, between strutr 8. andA end 1,5 of the die, and it also permits the die, to have alimitedl amount of up and down. movement at its. free endwithout binding or unduly straining` thejointor the diecarryingframe,r 7, 8, 9.

As previously stated, I provide adetachable connection between the other end Q0A of the die and the, downwardly projecting strong'- backy member 9, so` that after cylinder 5, or G has been. forinedtheconnection can be unfasf tened-andthe die can beswungout horizontal.- lv to permit the cylinder to. be stripped off.

The. detachablel connection is Vmade by se-V curing. the end- 2O of the die to the strongback member 9 lJy-bolts 2l, asshowninlig. 1.

Suitable nieansjis also provided for` Vsupporting the free end 20 of the die while the cylinder 5 isbei-ng removed from it. preferred supporting means is a.. loose truck that runs on anysuitableway-Qt;

'llo facilitate removal of a short heavy cylf .inder from the die, 1 provide a detachablein.- dependent. extensionsupport for the free end of the die. This support is a stripping bar 2li which can be temporarily attached. to the ond of the die by inserting' it in a soclret 25 formed therein, The completedV cylinderis siid ofi' from the die1=-onto the stripping bar E25, the outer endofy the bar being,` mean-While siuriorted on a craneghoolnorany other convenient means. After stripping, the end of bar 24 can bedisconnected from the diel, the latter being returned to its working position, while the cylinder Canbetakenlaway by means of an overhead crane that picksup the two projecting ends ofthe stripping-br Which serves" as` a sling for carrying the cylinder awayfrom thef machine.

In the case offaver-.ylong cylinder the stnipy pin g bar is `inserted as' `before, supported; at; its outer end. The cylinder is then stripped off loi@ The

until it is about half on the bar and halt on the die. The die is then blocked up near its middle, as at 26 in Fig. 4. The stripping bar is then removed and the cylinder taken ofi'. The truck 22 is then placed under the end 20 of the die, and the die is run back into its normal working position and locked to the strong-back frame by bolts 21.

Having thus described my invention, what l claim and'desire to secure by Lett-ers Patent is:

l. In a machine for forming a cylinder from a heavy metal plate, an anvil formed with a longitudinal groove in its working tace, a die disposed normally parallel with the groove of said anvil and adapted to move so as to press the plate progressively into said groove, whereby to cause the plate to encircle the die, means for actuating said die, and a pivotal support for an end of said die, its other end adapted to be swung out from said normal position to permit removal oi the completed cylinder.

2. In a machine 'for forming a cylinder from a heavy metal plate, an anvil formed with a longitudinal groove in its working face, a movable die-carrying frame comprising a strong-back having downwardly projecting members near its ends, a die having ends mounted in said downwardly projecting members and disposed normally parallel with the anvil, said die adapted to press the plate progressively into said groove, said strong-back and die spaced apart to receive the curved part of said plate between them, means for actuating said die-carrying frame, and means for detaching an end of said die from said trame to permit removal of the completed cylinder.

3. ln a machine for forming a cylinder it'roin a heavy metal plate, an anvil formed with a longitudinal groove in its working face, a reciprocating frame having a die disposed normally parallel with the groove el said anvil and adapted to press the plate progressively into said groove, whereby to canse the plate to encircle the die, a pivotal cc-niieetion between said reciprocating traine and an end of said die, the other end ci the die adapted to be swung out from its normal position in the trame to permit removal of the completed cylinder, and means for actuating said reciprocating frame 4. In a machine for forming a cylinder from a heavy metal plate, an anvil formed with a longitudinal groove in its working face, a reciprocating frame having a die disposed normally parallel with the groove of said anvil and adapted to press the plate pro gressively into said groove, whereby to cause the plate to encircle the die, a swivel connection between said reciprocating frame and an end ot said die, said connection including a pintle bolt, a shim having its opposite faces bowed and a pair or" bearing plates seated against said faces, the other end of the die adapted to be swung out from its normal position in the frame to permit removal of the completed cylinder, and means for actuating said reciprocating trame.

5.1n a machine for forming a cvlinder from a heavy metal plate, an anvil Iorn ed with a longitudinal groove in its working face, a movable die-carrying frame compris ing a strong-back having downwardly projecting side members, a die mounted in said side members and disposed normally parallel with the anvil, said die adapted to press the plate progressively into said groove, said strong-back and die spaced apart to receive the curved part ot said plate between them, removable struts connecting sail strong-back and die, and means for actuating the die carrying frame, for the purposes set forth,

6. ln a machine for forming a cylinder from a heavy metal plate, an anvil termed with a longitudinal groove in its workingl face, a die disposed normally parallel with the groove of said anvil and adapted to move so as to press the plate progressively into said groove, whereby to cause the plate to encircle the die, means for actuating said die, a pivotal support for an end of said die, its other end adapted to be swung out from said normal position to permit removal of the completed cylinder, and a stripping bar removably secured to said kother end to temporarily receive said cylinder.

i'. In a machine 'for forming a cylinder 'from a heavy metal plate, an anvil formed with a longitudinal groove in its workingl face, a movable die-carrying iframe comprisiing a strong-back havino downwardlyAprojecting side members, a die mounted in said side members and disposed normally parallel with the anvil, said die adapted to press the plate progressively into said groove, said strong-back and die spaced apart to receive the curved part of said plate between them, and means for actuating the die-carrying frame, for the purposes set forth.

In testimony whereof, l aiiix my signature.

JOHN F. L. BAKER. 

